Archive By Section - Local News

The Oakdale Irrigation District Board of Directors voted unanimously at the June 2 regular meeting to raise annexation fees in the district by using a Book Value formula that amounts to $2,677.32 per acre. The annexation fee is currently $360 per acre, which General Manager Steve Knell called "fully inadequate."

The Stanislaus County Chief Executive Office has released the county's proposed budget for the 2009-2010 fiscal year. The proposed budget will serve as an interim spending plan for Stanislaus County operations until a final budget for 2009-2010 is adopted in September. A public hearing on the 2009-2010 proposed budget has been scheduled for 9 a.m. on Tuesday, June 9 to be continued if necessary on June 10 and 11 at 9 a.m. for the Board of Supervisors to adopt a proposed budget for the upcoming fiscal year.

Thousands of people packed the stadium at Oakdale High School on Friday night, May 22, to celebrate the graduation of 311 high school students and four exchange students at the 115th Annual Commencement.

The Friends of Oakdale Heritage (FOH) organization is continuing its membership drive after handing out numerous applications for membership and docents at the Oakdale Chocolate Festival on May 16 and 17.

The 17th annual Oakdale Chocolate Festival saw record heat on Sunday, May 17 with temperatures hitting 107 and sending many scurrying for the misters or any spot of shade but in spite of the heat, 43,000 people spent at least part of their weekend in Oakdale, sampling chocolate and perusing vendor booths.

Tough economic conditions notwithstanding, Oakdale and the surrounding communities came though once again when it counted, raising $200,000 in the fight against cancer in the eighth annual Oakdale Relay for Life.

U.S. Representative Jeff Denham (R-Turlock) introduced a bill on Wednesday, Jan. 14 to lessen the burden on disabled veterans by extending military commissary and exchange store privileges to former service members and their families.

The Bacigalupi family is well known throughout the Oakdale area. Not only for the infamous H-B Saloon on F Street, but also for their philanthropy including sponsoring the Cowboy Golf Tournament, the annual AFC-NFC Championship Tailgate Party to benefit local causes, donations to Spirit of Oakdale, Community Sharing, the Lions Club Children's Christmas Shopping Tour and several contributions to Oakdale High School sports.

Life is not being wasted on Bill and Joanne Parker. At the ages of 85 (Bill) and 84 (Joanne), this couple did not wait for New Year's Day to make a resolution or begin a new health plan. On Jan. 2, 2015 the couple could be found in the same place they were on Dec. 31, 2014 … putting in some time at Fitness Plus in Oakdale.

Like many families do, the 'family' of kids, parents and teachers at The Learning Tree Preschool in Oakdale recently completed their holiday 'Gingerbread House' craft making activity, with the children able to take home their sweet treats to display (or eat) over the holidays. Following are some photos from the special craft day.

Law enforcement fatalities in the U.S. rose 24 percent in 2014, reversing what had been two years of dramatic declines in line of duty deaths, based on preliminary data compiled and released by the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund (NLEOMF).